JACKSONVILLE (www.sportsdayjax.com) - Despite a two-run home run by Jacob Amaya, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp fell 5-4 to the Charlotte Knights Thursday evening in front of 6,760 fans at 121 Financial Ballpark.
Jacksonville (21-25) put up a pair of runs in the opening frame to take an early lead. Brian Miller reached on an infield single, and Amaya (4) lifted a high fly ball over the right-field bleachers to put the Jumbo Shrimp ahead 2-0.
Nick Mondou led off the second with a double and a single by Carlos Perez plated the first run of the game for Charlotte (24-24), cutting into the Shrimp’s lead, 2-1.
The Knights grabbed the lead in the fourth inning. Two consecutive doubles by Oscar Colas and Victor Reyes leveled the game at two. After a pop out, Perez sliced a single to right field to give Charlotte a 3-2 lead.
The Jumbo Shrimp quickly regained the lead in the home half of the fourth. A duo of walks and a fielder’s choice loaded the bases before back-to-back sacrifice flies by Miller and Amaya pushed two runs across to make it 4-3.
Reyes (9) knotted up the game at four in the eighth inning with a home run.
Anthony Maldonado (4-3) entered in relief in the final frame and yielded a solo home run to Piscotty (3) to give Charlotte the 5-4 victory.
Jacksonville and Charlotte continue their series Friday at 7:05 p.m. The Jumbo Shrimp will start RHP Jeff Lindgren (4-2, 5.97) and the Knights will counter with LHP Garrett Davila (0-0, 2.77).